The municipal election, Oct. 22,  and a Nov. 5 hearing before the Local Planning Appeal Tribunal about the massive development at Bloor-Dufferin will decide the future of our community. Your support has never been more important! 

Here are three simple ways you can make sure this public land is used for public good:

1) Come to BBBD’s candidates’ debate

Come hear what your Council candidates have to say about development in Davenport. How will they use their role to keep our changing neighbourhoods affordable, livable, and inclusive?

Thursday, 18 October, 201

New Horizons auditorium

1140 Bloor St. West at Dufferin.

Doors at 7, debate starts at 7:30. The venue is wheelchair accessible, and ASL interpretation and child-minding will be available. A BBBD volunteer will provide “whisper translation” in Portuguese.  Contact us: if you can do the same in Mandarin, Vietnamese, or another neighbourhood language (don’t worry, you don’t have to be a professional interpreter or speak in public).

2) Send the City your comments about the proposal

Thanks to everyone who has sent comments to City Planning about the proposed development. Your input is having a real impact! We hear that the City has received more comments than usual about this file – and they are taking them very seriously. This is the most important thing we can do to influence the City’s decision about the current proposal for 2098 unaffordable condos, multiple big-box stores, and less than 1 acre of green space. If you haven’t sent your feedback yet, take a moment now to let the City know that you want to see a large public park, space for community services and the arts, and deeply affordable housing at Bloor and Dufferin.

Have your say at the City Planning web page for the development.

3) Help BBBD get to the Local Planning Appeal Tribunal

We have just been notified that a pre-trial conference about the proposed development has been scheduled for November 5. It is critical for BBBD to represent the community’s perspective at the LPAT – and we need your help to get there! We are looking for legal and planning advice, community input, and funds to help us hire lawyers and experts. Contact us if you can help.

The Local Planning Appeal Tribunal, or LPAT, is the new body that will replace the old Ontario Municipal Board (OMB). The OMB was notorious for siding with deep-pocketed developers against municipal planning decisions, and it was almost impossible for neighbourhood residents to defeat harmful developments at the OMB. Will the LPAT improve on this legacy, level the playing field, and help residents protect our neighbourhoods from the development gold rush? The Bloor-Dufferin case will be one of the first opportunities to test this out.

Here’s what it means for you.